Online Reporter
Innocent Kurira and Tongai Mashonga
NGEZI Platinum survived a tense Munhumutapa Challenge Cup encounter against Chicken Inn yesterday, edging the Gamecocks 5-4 on penalties after the two sides had played out a goalless draw in regulation time.
Trusted Tonderayi Ndiraya lieutenant Vassili Kawe missed the decisive kick for Chicken Inn.
It was a game in which neither side managed to find the breakthrough despite creating enough openings to settle the contest before the dreaded penalty shootout.
In the end, Ngezi showed greater composure from the spot to book their place in the next round, keeping alive their hopes of making a deep run in a competition whose rich rewards have attracted enormous interest.
The visitors started the match on the offensive and looked the more purposeful side in the opening exchanges.
Qadr Amini provided an early opportunity for Ngezi when he delivered a well-taken free-kick into the Chicken Inn penalty area.
Eddisone McDonald managed to get on the end of the delivery inside the box, but the Ngezi forward could not capitalise, failing to direct his header into a dangerous area.
Moments later, Elson Mweha also had an opportunity for the visitors, but once again Chicken Inn survived the scare.
The hosts gradually settled into the contest and began asking questions of the Ngezi defence.
Innocent Masiwa had Chicken Inn’s first chance of the match as the Gamecocks looked to respond to the visitors’ early pressure.
Vassili Kawe then came close to breaking the deadlock, but his effort was blocked by Ngezi defender Brooklyn Katumba.
The chances continued to come at both ends, although neither team could produce the decisive finish.
For Ngezi coach Kumbirayi Mutiwekuziwa the manner of victory was less important than achieving the objective they had set themselves before the match.
“The best result was to progress to the next round of the competition. This was our objective before the start of the game, to progress to the next round of the competition,” he said.
Chicken Inn coach Tonderayi Ndiraya felt his charges could have avoided the tension of a shootout had they been more ruthless in front of goal.
“There is really no one to blame. I thought we should have killed off the game in the first half,” he said.
At Chahwanda, FC Platinum needed a moment of magic to avoid an upset and it was Trevor Bhunu’s late strike that did the job, helping to edge Marere 1-0.
Introduced as a substitute at half time, Bhunu produced a sublime finish from an acute angle following a well worked counter attack and neat exchange of passes with Oscar Bhebhe.
Before kick-off everyone thought FC Platinum would run riot over Marere. But it turned out to be different.
Marere coach Justice Mugota said he gave his players clear instructions.
“I just told my guys Platinum plays a passing game you are going there to mark and block their moves.
“If we attack use counter attacks. There are a good side better than us. My plan worked. They got a lucky goal. We gave them a better run,” he said.
FC Platinum stand in coach Moses Mwafulirwa said he knew it was going to be difficult.
“If you can see in the first half, Marere were playing well defensively.
“They were not letting us pass through. In the second half you could see they were killing the momentum of the game. After five minutes you will see a man down sitting.
“You can’t say there are on the bottom of the log because they prepared. This is different from a league match.
“We are supposed to work hard. There are more difficult games ahead,” said Mwafulirwa.
